Antiskidding device for tires.



I. D. MEALS.

ANTISKIDDING DEVICE FOR TIRES. AIEPLIOATION runnlrnag, 1912.

1,049,893. I J n-v;1913 Y mums-511mm.

u momvsrs WITNESSES I, D.v MEALS. ANTISKIDDING DEVICE F H TIRES. 'APPLMATION rum 1912.

Pamented Jan.7,1913

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

w INVENTQR ATTORNEYS UNETED @TATEg PATENT @FFlCE.

IRA DALE MEALS, 0F HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

ANTISKIDDING DEVICE FOR TIRES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed February 29, 1912. Serial No. 680,580.

To all whom it may cmwcrn Be it known that I, IRA DALE MEALS, a

citizen of the United States, and a resident ing separate semicircular sections coupled. together to extend around the tire atthe tread and sides.

'An object of my invention is to provide an anti-skidding device consis ing of a chain for-med of sections of the general character referred to, and comprising novel connecting elements in devices of this character.

It is important in actual practice, that the sections forming the chain be permitted movements relatively to one another both radially and longitudinally without exerting any pull on one another when moving in response to the pressure exerted on the successive links when the weight of the car is imposed thereon. To permit the necessary relative movements of the sections as referred to, links have been employed'on which the sections may pivot or tilt, the

sections being movable by a slotted connection with the links in {tlOllgltUCllIifil direction without straining each other. In connection with my improved anti-skidding chain the end sections ar provided with means for automatically coupling the same. In practice, when applying the chain of anti-skidding sections to the tire, one end section of the chain is pressed into place over the tire, or two sections, and the car is started ahead, and the result of which is that the chain will wrap itself arou d the tire, each successive link taking its position behind the other as the wheel rolls over the chain. To successfully apply the chain in the described manner, I provide an automatic coupling link for uniting the end sections of the chain, the arrangement being such that as the last link moves onto the tire adjacent to. the link first-applied, the pressure exerted on the tire, due to the imposed weight, will cause the coupling link to automatically couple the two end sections. The described automatic operation ot the coupling, however, exerts a pulling action, which is provided for by employing the mentioned link a'ndslot connections between others of the chain sections, so that the loose connection due to the link and slots will enable the end sections to respond to the latching action of the cou ling link. The coupling link, in effecting the automatic latching. en-

Patented J an. '7 i913.

gagement, has both a pivotal and sliding engagement with-the respective end sections, and when the latchingengagement is effected there is a slack at the coupling link, which must be taken up. In order to make provision for taking up the slack allowed in the coupling link during the latching engagement, and the slack given the remaining sections at the link and slot connection,

and tighten the cha'in'on the tire after coupled engagement, I employ any ap-' proved slack adjuster, and have illustrated a known expedient for this purpose; my invention therefore, as regards the slack adjust-er or tightening device does not reside in its special construction, but in the relation of such device to the coupling link and other-links in the chain, and the combination of these elements with the chain sec tions.

The invention further consists in the novel features of the special automatic coupling link and its appurtances, in the special form of the link uniting the other sections in the.

chain, and in the special form of the indi-.

vidual chain sections,all of which willfbe more fully pointed out hereinafter in connection with the specific description of the illustrated embodiment of my invention.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is aside elevation of a portion of an anti-skidding chain-formed, in accordance with my invention, the same being shown as applied Fig. 2 is a crosssection appr0Xi-' inatelv on the line 22 of Fig. 1 Fi 3 is a Y cross section approximately on the line 33" of Fig. 1; Fig. is a cross section approximately on the line et-e'tof Fig. 1; Fig.- 5 is a .side'elevation of the two end sections of link employed in connecting various of the chain sections. The chain is madeup of s11n1lar sections indicated by thenumeral 10, the end sections being indicatedby 10 and 10 For the major portion of the chain the sections are united by links 15, the end sections being coupled by a link 20, there being disposed at one or more points around the wheel a tightener, which may consist of a bolt or screw 30. Each link 15 comprises an elongated body, the ends of which extend laterally, as at 16, and then have returnbend toward each other, as at 17, for a short distance, the members 17 being formed with T-heads 18 spaced from the elongated body approximately the thickness ot the metal in the sections 10. The members 16 of the links 15 move in slots 19 in the sections 10, the slots being formed'in portions 10 which are offset from the body of the sections a, distance approximately equal to the thickness of the elongated body of 'the link 15), so as to permit the said body portion of the link to move between the offset portions of the sections 10 and the sides of the tire 5. In assembling the sections in chain form, the sections must be brought tions to tilt relatively to one another and to move radially as 'the .tire yields to the weight of the car at the bottom of the wheel, so that the shifting of one section result in no longitudinal pull on the adjacent sections. W hen a suliicient number ofscctions have been connected to suit the oi the tire, one of the end sections is provided with a special coupling link 20, and the opposed end section has a co-act-ing member tor said coupling link. The link has a diagonal slot '21- intermediate between its ends and desirably nearer 'to one end than the other, and at the end adjacent to saidslot, the link 20 is formed into a hook 22, while the opposite end of the link has a larger hook consisting of a bill 23 and a spring tongue 2t successive link will be prcssial' oi;

ipaases A rivet 25 or its equivalent passesthrough the slot 21 of the link, through a side of one end section 10 near the corner thereof, and through a keeper plate 26, the link being thus loosely held between the outer surface ot'the section l0 and the keeper 26, so that the link may have sliding and pivotalmovement. The opposite end of the keeper 26 is united to the section it) by a second. rivet or post 2? in such a manner as to space the keeper from the section. The opposite end of the link which formed with the snap hook 213, 2st, is adapted to have latching engagement with a stud or rivet 28 on the adjacent end section to; said stud or rivetand a similar stud or rivet 25 serving to secure on the end section 10 a keeper plate 29, between which and the said pressed into place on the tire, the chain be-' in-g stretched along the floor or ground.

\l'h en the car is now started ahead. each lo the tire and will have. frictional engagement there with so that the chain will wrap itself around the the each sijicccssive link taking its position until the mating end link is pressed into place, at which time the link 20 will be automatically snapped into coupling engagement, the bill 25 being forced bcneath the keeper 29, and the beveled surt'ace 23 of said bill will engage the stud 2s, and said stud will be snapped beneath the spring tongue 24. Then at the nextrevolution of .the wheel, when the weight of .the car is slack in the chain oi sections is taken up by the bolt or screw 30. or any equivalent takeup device, said bolt or screw engages the outwardly projecting members St on angle irons 32 secured respectively to the adjacent ends of any two links.

Each of the sections l0, l0 and 10*. has an improved arrangement of anti-skidding members to engage the surface oi the roadway, said members consisting of intogral ears 11, which are struck up from the body of the section at approximatelyright arranged afterthe manner of a snap hook. i anglesto the outer surface ot said section,

thereby producing at the base" of each ear 1 1 anopenl'ng 12 extending throughthe section to the under 'side,- said openings per.-

'mitting the escape ot grit from beneath the tread surface of the chain section. .The

ears 11- are preferably so located as to "CliS-' pose the same in a manner to efiectively engage the roadwayathus each link has a longitudinal central ear, and pairs of diagonally disposed ears at-.eachside of-the central ear, as best seen in Fig? 9. To e n able the grit, pebbles or the like that may enter beneath the section at the sides tofind escape, each section is provided at each side wltha large opening '13.'

Ha .'ng thus described my invention, I

claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1, An anti-skidding device, consisting of a chain comprising a 'series of separate sec tion's approximating the cross section of the tread and .side portions of the tire; links forming a loose connection between; the side i andhaving pivotal and'sliding movements '30 portions of said chain sections and permit ting movement of the said sections relatively to one another both radially and longitually; an automatic coupling link carried at one end by one-end section of the chain on-said end section, said coupling link having a latch formation at its inner edge at its opposite end and being movable to engage d disengage the opposed end section b a longitudinal sliding and swinging movement; and-a take-up device interposed between sections of .the chain to'take up the slack permitted between the sections for the operation of the automatic coupling link.

2. An anti-skidding device for tires, consisting of a series of sections adapted to seat on a tire, the sections having movement rela tively to each other longitudinally and piv--- otally 'to enable the chain to wrap itself ona tire as the wheel is run over a chain, and

a coupling link for the end sections, the

said coupling link being pivoted on one end section and slidable thereon and co-acting with a keeper on the other end section, said link having a' latching head movable into automatic latching engag ment with the keeper to couple the said e d sections when presure is exerted on the tire by the weight of the car.

3. In a tire attachment for-application to the exterior of the tire, a pair of sections,

means for uniting 1 said sections comprising a link mounted on one section and having a latching member to detachably engage the other of said sections, and means for tempo-' rarily holding saidlink in position to latch by a relative movement of the sections,

ft. An antiskidding device for'tires, consist-ing of a chain of separate'connected sections, and means for automatically cou-- pling the end sections or the chain, said means comprising a link piv otal'and slidable. .on one endsection, a device; for holding said link from the mentioned pivotal and slidable movement and a deviceon the other section-With Which the link has pivotal latching engagement. I V

5; An anti-skidding device fortires, consisting of .a 'chain of connected sections, keepers-on the end sections, studs associated with said keep'ers,'-'and a link having a hook engageable with one of the studs associated with one of the said keepers, and a slot through which the other stud of said keeper passes, said link having a snap hook-at the other end having latching eng ement with the stud on the other end s e tion' of the chain. Q

.6. In an attachment -for a plication to the exterior of the tire, a pair 0 sections,means for uniting said sectlons comprising a link mounted on one section for movement toward and from the other of said sections and having alatching member for engaging said other section, means for temporarily holding said link in position for latching movement, and a device for engaging the IRA DALE MEALS.

Witnesses J. H. SNYDER HENRY C. PIERCE. 

